Motor Vehicle Door Handle Mass Locking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional door handle arrangements with mass locks fail to reliably block the handle or deflection lever during long-lasting or pronounced vibrations caused by acceleration forces, leading to potential unintended actuation of the door handle during crashes.

Innovation Solution

The door handle arrangement incorporates a locking device that moves in both a first and second blocking direction, with a movement recess allowing the coupling device to actuate the handle, and is designed as a hollow cylinder or disk element with a guide channel, enabling effective blocking even during oscillations, and is rotatably mounted with a spring preload to ensure secure operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a locking device is designed to move only in a single blocking direction, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability is insufficient during long-lasting vibrations or pronounced oscillations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblocking reliabilityVSAvoidlocking device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking device is designed to be movable in two opposite blocking directions (first and second blocking directions) rather than fixed in a single direction. This dynamic capability allows the locking device to respond to acceleration forces from either direction, preventing unintended handle actuation during vehicle crashes or vibrations while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the locking device travels range is limited, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability fails during strong or long-lasting vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblocking reliabilityVSAvoidlocking device travel range
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The locking device incorporates a movement recess that extends in the movement path of the movement attachment, allowing the locking device to traverse a longer distance in its blocking directions. This extended travel range ensures that during strong or long-lasting vibrations, the locking device can maintain its blocking position without returning to the normal operating position, thereby preventing unintended handle actuation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the locking device oscillates under acceleration forces, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the reliability is compromised as the handle may not be blocked

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblocking reliabilityVSAvoidhandle actuation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The locking device is positioned and dimensioned such that under acceleration forces, it moves into blocking positions that prevent the movement attachment from engaging with the coupling device. The movement recess is designed to accommodate the full range of motion required for blocking, ensuring that even during oscillations, the locking device maintains its blocking function and prevents unintended handle actuation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution ensures the handle and coupling device are reliably blocked across various vibration conditions, preventing unintended actuation and maintaining secure operation post-crash, with the locking device rotating +/-90° or +/-285° to ensure effective blocking and automatic return to normal position.

Implementation Method 1

the locking device, which serves as a mass lock and is movably held on the handle support, designed in such a way that under the action of an acceleration force, it moves from a normal operating position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInertia: Inertia

Implementation Method 2

it is provided that a spring element is supported both on a stationary extension of the handle support and on a contact surface, which moves with the locking device, the spring element being preloaded in the direction of the normal operating position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2811090B1Door handle assembly for a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 HUF HÜLSBECK & FÜRST GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2811090B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP2811090B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7
  • EP2811090B1 patent drawingFigure 8~9

AI summary

In a door handle arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising a frame-like handle carrier (6), a handle (4) which is movably mounted on the handle carrier (6) for opening a door (2) or hatch of the motor vehicle (1) by a user, a mechanical coupling device (7, 7') by which a movement of the handle (4) can be transmitted to a vehicle-side locking arrangement (5), and a locking device (8, 8') serving as a mass lock, which is movably held on the handle carrier (6) and is designed such that, when an acceleration force is applied, it can be moved from a normal operating position, in which actuation of the handle (4) is possible, into a first blocking direction (21), in which actuation of the locking arrangement (5) by the handle (4) and/or the coupling device (7, 7') is blocked, a solution is to be provided thatThis provides a door handle arrangement in a structurally simple and cost-effective manner, in which the locking device reliably and securely blocks the handle or the deflection lever even during prolonged or severe vibrations resulting from a crash. This is achieved by designing the locking device (8, 8') to be movable from its normal operating position into a second blocking direction (22) when an acceleration force is applied, in which actuation of the closing mechanism (5) by the handle (4) and/or the coupling device (7, 7') is blocked, wherein the second blocking direction (22) is opposite to the first blocking direction (21).